By MATT WHITFIELD
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –– Mark Armstrong and Villanova missed the NCAA Tournament this past spring for the first time since 2012.
But this offseason, coach Kyle Neptune and his staff reloaded via the transfer portal with the additions TJ Bamba (Washington State), Hakim Hart (Maryland) and Tyler Burton (Richmond). They are also bringing back a veteran core led by Justin Moore and Eric Dixon.
Armstrong believes the new additions will help the Wildcats get back to the Big Dance for his sophomore season.
“They’ll bring in great experience,” the 6-foot-2 South Orange, N.J. native said at USA Basketball U19 training camp.
“All they are going to do is just elevate us. And they’ll bring great energy to the team. And we’re all going to bring it together.”
Villanova and its fans aren’t used to missing the Big Dance. The Wildcats won two NCAA championships (2016 and ’18) under former coach Jay Wright, and made the Final Four in his last season as coach in 2022.
“We do not really focus on that [the NCAA Tournament],” said Armstrong, who averaged 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds as a freshman. “We focus on getting better every day and the outcome is going to be the outcome.”
Armstrong has already won a gold medal with the USA U18 team at the FIBA Americas Championship a year ago. Now he’s back with a loaded U19 team that features fellow New Jersey native Dylan Harper, the top combo guard in the Class of 2024.
The experience should help him in his sophomore season at Villanova during Neptune’s second season at the helm.
“[Neptune] is great,” Armstrong said. “He is a players’ coach. He connects with all the players on the team and he’s ready to work with us.”
Armstrong can’t guarantee an NCAA Tournament appearance next year, but with the talent Villanova has added, that is the expectation.
“[Fans] should look forward to a hard working team that plays defense and plays together,” said Armstrong.
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